Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Fisimp 144.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Fisimp 144xe2x80x99.
The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new moderately compact Impatiens cultivars that flower relatively early with large rounded flowers and attractive flower colors.
The new Impatiens originated from a cross made by the Inventor in July, 1997 of the Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Swing, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,338, as the female, or seed, parent with the Impatiens hawkeri cultivar Riviera Purple, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Fisimp 144 was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Moncarapacho, Portugal in March, 1998.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in Moncarapacho, Portugal, since March, 1998, has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Fisimp 144xe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Fisimp 144xe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Impatiens cultivar:
1. Outwardly spreading, rounded and uniformly mounded plant habit.
2. Freely branching and freely flowering habit.
3. Large dark purple-colored flowers that are positioned above and beyond the foliage.
4. Medium green-colored leaves.
Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the female parent, the cultivar Swing. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar Swing in the following characteristics:
1. Leaves of plants of the new Impatiens were green in color whereas leaves of plants of the cultivar Swing were reddish green in color.
2. Plants of the new Impatiens had darker purple-colored flowers than plants of the cultivar Swing.
Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the male parent, the cultivar Riviera Purple. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar Riviera Purple in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Impatiens were not as compact as plants of the cultivar Riviera Purple.
2. Plants of the new Impatiens had larger and darker green-colored leaves than plants of the cultivar Riviera Purple.
3. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens were not as red purple in color as flowers of plants of the cultivar Riviera Purple.
Plants of the new Impatiens can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Kipas, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,432. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Hillscheid, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed from plants of the cultivar Kipas in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Impatiens were taller and more broad than plants of the cultivar Kipas.
2. Plants of the new Impatiens had shorter internodes than plants of the cultivar Kipas.
3. Plants of the new Impatiens had larger leaves than plants of the cultivar Kipas.
4. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens were darker purple in color than flowers of plants of the cultivar Kipas.